EA is not static

Enterprise architecture is a continuous effort rather than a one shut deal to design the target architecture blueprint as a building architects do. EA is known as the effort to document as is environment, design the target architecture and make transition to close the gap as the well know Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework described. Many organizations have initiated the Enterprise Architecture and waiting a "Target Architecture" as if waiting for the blueprint for the new house. They continue to do things as usual due to lack of the "Target Architectureâ€ and they can not hold up everything to wait for the "Target Architecture" either under the pressure of the business managers. The bad news is that they can wait forever because EA is not static as it is in a building architecture, a large scale application system or an aircrafts carrier which is designed in a set concrete blueprint for a set of specification to a special purpose. It reminds me of the "Great pumpkin" in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.

EA is a moving target rather than a static blueprint. It is not static because the Enterprise Architecture must support the enterprise strategic direction which is frequently adjusted to close business performance gap. The driver of EA is based on business performance need rather than the" architecture excellence". EA is the effort to align technology with business need from the following aspects of customer satisfaction, business result, cost efficiency, process efficiency and technology efficiency rather than to off the top of the line solution base on the architectâ€™s artistic pieces.

EA is not static because the current environment changes continuously. EA is the effort to keep up with the enterprise environment similar to a radar screen which allows the organization to comprehend the big picture and manage change. The Current environment is not a static that the Enterprise Architect take a snap shot at one time. It is a continuous effort. EA is not static because technologies are evolving continuously. Most people have the experience of an obsolete large scale system by the time it is released because the rapid technology evolution. EA is a continuous effort to establish technology standards and manage the change instead of a one shot deal. EA is not static because the business processes must be continuously improved to take advantage of technology evolution.

EA is a continues effort that move in a circular motion similar to a cyclone. It move slowly but we should not get frustrated because that is how a cyclone build up its power.

The advice from Light Enterprise Architecture is that do not wait for "Target Architecture" to enjoy the fruit of EA. An organization can benefit from EA in the very beginning on the collaboration effort to see the big picture to know the enterprise , learn the experiences of the experience from the same line of businesses, and establish common foundation a and building blocks base on the same line of business to enable the agility, simplify and cost efficient. By that time, you will also find out that there are not really a one size fit all target architecture because enterprise is large and only each organization knows the best on what they need rather than the magic enterprise architects.

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Instead of considering EA as the effort to "Architect the Enterprise" which is not only ambiguos but aslo requires significant ...
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Instead of considering EA as the effort to "Architect the Enterprise" which is not only ambiguos but aslo requires significant time and resources, the Light Enterprise Architecture takes a light approach to define EA as a paradigm shift to architect from "Stovepipe" to "Enterprise" thinking. The word of "Enterprsie" means "holistic" rather than "The Business Organization".
LEA support enterprise strategic planning and close the gap between strategy planing and execution. LEA suggest to achieve this goal via the power of collaboration, knowledge managment, Master planing, Agility and Change management. It is something which can not be achieved by architecting the "Enterprse Blueprint".
It is a paradigm shift from stovepipe system. EA is a total participation effort rather than a command and control appraoch. EA professional serve the the facilator to close the gap between business strategy and execution rather than a "Guru" to know every thing. LEA is not only about architecture and engineering design, it is also requires political skill for total participation. It not only serve large organizations but even more important for small organizations. EA is an emerging paradigm rather than an enterprise scale solution architecture.
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